Teens Playing The Safe Sex Game
"If you are not sure about safe sex, abstinence can be a choice. There are years, months and days to come, so take it easy. No hustle!" Many parents give advice like Cira Sanchez does to her children. Chelsea Hernandez, a student at East Side Community High School on Manhattan's Lower East Side, spoke about STD's in her advisory class on February 17,2006. Discussing a lesson given by college students from New York University's Peer Health Exchange, she asked her peers questions about being sexually active, and how they protect themselves and their partners from sexually transmitted diseases like AIDS and sexually transmitted infections like Chlamydia. Global advice about safe sex for teens In the Daily Nebraskan, on March 2, 2006, Dakarai Aarons states that "one in five people more than 12 years old have an incurable sexually transmitted infection (STI), so the government is spending billions on STI education." In Victoria Nunnely's article in fox21.com/Global/story , she maintains that, "They are, and mostly I think it's just because everbody else is doing it, or that's what they believe they should be doing." That's one reason why kids and parents say sex education is so important. A Wikipedia article " Safe sex" claims that "unsafe sex refers to the participation in a sexual relationship without the use of any contraceptive or preventive measures against STD's". Wikipedia also claims that "one way to avoid the risks associated with sexual contact is to abstain from sex entirely, which virtually eliminates the chances of contracting STI's." According to the Peer Health Exchange STI's and HIV workshop delivered to ESCHS 9th graders back in February, " In the United States, 1 in 250 people are HIV positive, but only 1 in 500 people know it." The Wikipedia website (February 2006), explains " Some conservatives object to safe sex programs because they assert that providing education about condom use and other protective measures promotes promiscuous, non-procreative sex." Talking to people in your community A 57-year old, Lower East Side grandmother, Cira Sanchez, gives advice to her children about safe sex. "El sexo seguro es cuando tu usas los condones para el sexo oral, anal, y vaginal. Tu puedes también usar pastillas del control de la natalidad. Tu no debes estar en contacto con sangre, líquido vaginal, pre-pre-cum y semen durante hacer lo que tu haces." Safe sex is when you use condoms for oral, anal, and vaginal sex. You can also use birth control pills. You shouldn't get in contact with blood, vaginal fluid, pre-cum and semen during doing whatever your about to do. East Side 9th grader Ishmael Gonzalez asserts, "Always use a condom. Being protective means thinking before you have intercourse. Either use condoms or birth control pills. Don't be in a rush. Because then you could regret it. If your partner isn't protective, you do the right thing and be protective." East Side 10th grader Maya Lopez asserted, " A guy or girl is suppose to respect your decision no matter what it is. Either having or not having sex. But if anything just be protective plain and simple." What's happening in your community? "When you have sex with someone, you are having sex with everyone that person has ever had sex with." There are many programs and clinics where you can go, if you want take a test or if you have any questions. There has to be at least one place of where you can go in your community. Here in Lower Manhattan, there's a program, Planned Parenthood, and another called The Door that are always available at any time. The Ryan Nena clinic is where you can go if you have any questions or if you want to get tested for any kind of infection or disease. There are also hotlines like for Planned Parenthood you can call, 1-800-230-PLAN or 1-800-230-7526 for more information. Also the address and contact number for The Door is, 121 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10013, #(212)941-9090 fax.(212)941-0714